How Can You Be So Heartless?
by EmmaJoie
Summary: set about 4/5 months after Lucas and Peyton's botched proposal. Demons of Peyton's past come back to haunt her and she must rely on her friend to help her through it. Rated T for some strong violence and language. Not sure what pairings are end-game yet.
1. Broken

**Hey, so I realise I should probably be updating my other story 'Good To Be Home' but my muse just ran away with this instead, so sorry if you're reading that, but I hope you like this story anyway. Story Title from "Heartless by Kanye West" So here goes... Enjoy!**

Chapter 1 - Broken

Sometimes, I don't know why I do it, why I continue to be so masochistic. I loved him, I still do. I just wasn't ready to take that step in our relationship. Hell, I've only just stopped jumping at shadows from the whole 'psycho-Derek debacle' as Brooke likes to call it. I haven't got a clue where she got that word from. Oh god, I'm actually rambling.... I didn't know it was even possible to ramble in your own thoughts, like, to yourself. I mean thoughts are to yourself and all, right? Am I asking myself questions? Yes, I am. And I'm answering them too. This is so unreal. What am I saying, are we even real anyway? I honestly wouldn't be surprised if 'God' was a big toddler, and we his toys. He probably has favourite toys too! My best friend, Brooke, probably falling into that category; she's so successful at such a young age.

And if my 'toy' theory is true. I am almost definitely hated; that big guy likes making my life absolute hell. No doubt about that. In no particular order I've had: two dead moms, a psycho stalker, I've been shot in the leg, and I've been a major home-wrecking whore (again Brooke's wording not mine) and... well that's it. But, it is still more drama than the average person has in their life, let alone before they turn twenty.

I'm barely nineteen and I'm a mess. I guess I've been a mess most of my life, but I've been worse the past four months or so. Well four months, two weeks and three days. I'm not going to pretend I haven't been keeping count. It's been four months two weeks and three days since I last saw him- the love of my life. Four months two weeks and three days since he left me in that hotel room, broken and scared. I thought we were finally getting our happily ever after. And I **had **to say no, didn't I?

Wait, back-up. I never said no. I said someday. Someday. God, how pathetic is this I have to convince myself that I didn't **completely **reject him. It's them, all of them. Luke's friend and family. He's been telling them that I said no. And they all believed him, calling me up and having a go at me for something I didn't do. Well, almost all of them, the exceptions being: Karen, the fairest woman I know, she listened to both of our stories before making final judgement, but I know her loyalty will always lie with Lucas- he **is **her son after all. Brooke, my bestest friend in the entire world, she will _always _be 'team Peyton' she said so her self. And finally but by no means the least, Nathan. Lucas' very own brother sided with me.

He told me that Lucas and Haley had been speculating and coming up with wild reasons why I would say no. Nathan told them to let it go; it's my life. He came out to visit me around then, he said it was to cool off, but we both knew he didn't need a reason to visit. I thanked him so many times; he always was a great friend, just as good as Brooke actually. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if we'd never broken up. Ha! We'd probably hate each other by now. I'm glad we ended it when we did, not too late to ruin, what is now a twelve year friendship. He is definitely in my best friend ranking, alongside Brooke of course.

God, how long have I been thinking for? Where am I anyway? All I know is that it is really dark, like, pitch black darkness. Oh my God, am I dead? I don't remember anything. What's going on? I... what was that? It sounded like Brooke. Brooke!

A brunette woman is sitting at a hospital room, in a side ward, next to a bed. There is a tall raven-haired man sitting next to her. The man says something and gets up, leaving the room. As soon as the man had left, the woman leaned over and grabbed hold of the hand of the curly-haired woman lying in the bed.

"Come on . Wake up!" she almost cried in frustration, just as she broke down in sobs, putting her head on the bed. Right next to the woman's hand.

She was sobbing hysterically by the time the man re-entered the room, holding two cups of steaming hot coffee. He hastily put the cups down and rushed over to the crying woman; he lifted her out of the chair and hugged her.

"Brooke, calm down." He told her forcibly yet soft at the same time.

"But, but, but she- she looks so b-broken. I don't. I don't know. Sh- she has to be ok. She _has _to be ok." She sobbed into his shoulder. And he rubbed her back soothingly, letting her soak his shirt.

The man sighed. He had been thinking exactly what his friend had voiced. He looked over at the bed. At the woman he'd know as a little girl. Since the tender age of seven, whose arm he'd accidently caused to break when she was nine as he convinced her to climb a tree, which she had subsequently fallen out of. The girl who he thought he loved, and who thought she loved him back, and they weren't wrong, they definitely loved each other. They just weren't _in love._ He looked at her, and then he turned away. He didn't want to see his best friend like that, small, covered in bruises and wired up to a load of machines.

"Brooke, she'll be fine. Don't worry. Sawyer here is most definitely a fighter." He kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, I guess so. Thanks for calming me down, Nate." She pulled away from him and sat back down.

"No problemo, anytime. Have you called Luke?"

"I don't think he deserves to know do you?" she spat out.

"No I guess not" he nodded his agreement. They sat in silence after that.

_An hour later..._

"Brooke... Nate?" her voice was coarse, and not full of her normal sarcastic, witty self.

Brooke sat there and stared at her, mouth gaping open.

Nate was the first to break the tangible silence. "Peyt? Are you ok? Do you need anything?"

"Erm, no" she coughed. "Actually, could you get me some water please?"

"Sure thing." He poured her a glass of water then said. "I'll go get a doctor."

The silence returned, and it was starting to get awkward. "Hey B. Davis."

"Hey P. Sawyer. How ya doing?"

"Alright I guess." She squirmed then whimpered in pain. The normally bubbly brunette jumped up in worry and started looking around the room, for someone or something. "Brooke, I'm fine. Just hurts a little when I breathe." Brooke nodded. "Brooke?"

"Yes?" she half-whispered.

"What happened?"

Brooke squirmed. She sooo did not want to answer that question. She was hoping her dad would be here to tell her that. But then she decided it was probably better that he wasn't. She very much doubted she would want to hear this from her father, of all people. She deliberated calling Nate, or even getting a doctor telling her as well. But she and Nathan decided the previous day it would be best to come from Brooke, her bestest friend in the whole wide world and all.

"Peyton..." she started timidly, unsure of herself. "You were raped."

**Well. What did ya'll think? I know it's kinda short but I think it's pretty damn good if you ask me. But you're not, I'm asking you... so R&R pleaseeee.... Btw, I'm hoping I'll be quicker at updating this story. I think I'll try writing some chapters in advance. Chapter Title is from "Broken by Lifehouse."**


	2. Wilful Suspension of Disbelief

**Heya guys, thanks so much for the reviews, they make me feel GREAT! Anyway, on to the story... enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don not own one tree hill, or any characters, however much I wish I did James Lafferty.**

Chapter 1 – Wilful Suspension of Disbelief

"Peyton? Where are ya P?" Brooke Penelope Davis walked into her friend's small apartment in L.A. The Cure was blaring loudly

Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer had been released from hospital 2 weeks ago; she was now in the process of packing up her place in L.A. in order to return to her small hometown of Tree Hill. Brooke looked around the room. It was almost completely packed up now. The walls had been whitewashed so that the landlord wouldn't have a go at her for her bold colour choices, and the heavier furniture had already been shipped off. Brooke also saw that her best friend wasn't in the room.

"Peyton, honey? Where are you?" she called through the apartment.

"In here! I'm in the bedroom!" she called over the music; her voice was muffled almost as though she'd been crying.

Brooke frowned and made her way through the maze of boxes to the bedroom door. "Peyt? Wha-" she opened the door and walked in , to find her best friend sitting on the floor in the middle of the empty room, surrounded by photos and letters. "Oh, Peyton. Honey, what's this?"

"I- I- I found it in the cupboard, W- W- We were g- gonna ha- have it all. And I ru- ruined it!" she managed to say all of this between sobs and hiccups.

Brooke leant down and picked up the nearest picture and smiled, of course it was Lucas and Peyton. It was at the state championship, Brooke remembered how someone had taken it when they weren't looking, and it was perfect. They both looked so happy. She looked at the next picture, and her smile grew. It was of all five of them, Haley, Nathan, Lucas, Peyton and herself. She wasn't exactly sure where it was. She thinks it was at the cheer competition senior year, the one where Peyton tripped.

"Look, lo- look at this, Brooke." Peyton sniffled and handed Brooke a letter. "Read it."

"Oh, Peyton. I don't think I sho-"

She was cut of by a harsh "read it Brooke."

"Ok." She opened the letter.

''_Hey gorgeous,_

_How ya doing? Today was so funny. Haley and Nate had an argument over whether Jamie's first word was really a first word at all. Me and Nate are pretty sure he said 'ball' but Haley is adamant he's going to be a musician and that his first word will be 'guitar'. When she finally realised she was fighting a losing battle she gave up and just left the room muttering something about ball being an easier word. You would have found it adorable and would have probably sided with Haley about him being a musician, so that you could train him up and all. Oh, by the way, I have a bone to pick with you! But, I'm going to have to explain. Yesterday, I choked on some juice (don't start laughing at me just yet!) and Nathan burst into hysterical laughter and __**wouldn't **__stop. When he finally calmed down he said "oh, Sawyer would've LOVED this" I didn't get it at first until he explained that both of you have been teasing me and calling me choke behind my back for years! I am very upset *pouts*._

_I'm going to have to go now babe. I love you so much. True Love Always._

_P.S, I kinda like you ;)_

_If I could have just one wish,  
I would wish to wake up everyday  
to the sound of your breath on my neck,  
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,  
the touch of your fingers on my skin,  
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...  
Knowing that I could never find that feeling  
with anyone other than you._

_Love, Lucas xxx''_

"He said- he said he lo- loved me. He said he'd always be- be there for m- me. But he wa- wasn't, an- and it's all my fault! I- I- I- I..." by now she was sobbing so hysterically that she couldn't continue.

Brooke pulled her into her arms and let her cry on her shoulder. "No, it was not your fault. You asked him to wait for you and his pride couldn't take it. That makes him an ass, and totally not worth your tears. Understand?" she pulled Peyton's face up by her chin and make her look at her.

"yes." Peyton wiped off the tears that had just fallen and sniffled. "I don't need him. I am strong... I am strong" she whispered the last bit and Brooke wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Brooke, or herself.

* * *

Later that night, both girls curled up into their blow-up beds and tried to sleep so that they could catch their flight the next morning.

Brooke was lying in her bed peacefully, dreaming happy dreams. But Peyton was tossing and turning, her dreams were most definitely not as pleasant.

_**Peyton's dream world.**_

_She screamed as the man grabbed her leg and started pulling her towards him. Her fingers scratching the hardwood floor as she desperately tried to escape his grasp. The man laughed at her, what was she thinking she would achieve? This little girl half his size, weight and strength. Did she really think she could get away? They both knew there was no chance in hell._

"_Please! Let me go!" she half-sobbed, half-pleaded. For a split-second the man felt sorry for her. But then he remembered how she had rejected him a few months ago. He needed to show this girl she shouldn't be such a prude._

"_You think your little pleads will help you?" he laughed again. "Think again Peyton."_

_He grabbed her by her arms and pulled her off the floor, twisting her so she was pinned to the wall. He realised he was being quite rough. 'Not rough enough' he thought to himself. 'She rejected me, she deserves to be punished' _

_He started ripping her clothes off as she continued to cry..._

Peyton awoke with a scream.

"Woah, , calm down. It's ok. I'm here."

Brooke, bless her, was out of her bed and by Peyton's side almost instantly. She looked on at her friend with a worried expression. Peyton was very pale. Her curls were matted and stuck to the sweat on her face. And the bruises and cuts that hadn't yet faded away or healed were most definitely prominent in contrast to her skin. All in all, she did not look good.

"Brooke...?" her voice was coarse, and she whimpered.

"Yeah, , what happened?" the concern on her face was clear, and the tiredness too. Peyton immediately felt guilty.

"I'm sorry I woke you up B." She whispered in the darkness.

"Don't be silly. What's wrong?" she repeated her earlier question, determined to get an answer.

"I, I remembered Brooke. I remembered." She sighed and buried her head into her friend's shoulder.

"Oh."

* * *

The two girls barely spoke to each other on the plane ride back to Tree Hill, but Brooke did keep shooting Peyton worried glances. Eventually Peyton pretended to be asleep

Peyton sighed as she felt Brooke staring at her again. Her eyes snapped open. "Brooke! Can you _please _stop looking at me like that?" her voice was full of exasperation.

"Like what?" the bubbly brunette asked innocently.

"Like I'm going to break down or disappear or something."

"I'm scared you are. How are you feeling?" her voice was full of concern again, and Peyton hated it.

She turned to look at her friend. "I'm fine, Brooke. Honestly, I am."

"Why do I not believe that?" Brooke asked rhetorically. "Oh, because it's not true! Peyton you remembered abou-"

"Can we not talk about this right now please? Not here."

"Why not?"

"Because, we are on a public place, surrounded by lots of people. That's why."

Brooke huffed. "Fine, but as soon as we get there we are talking about it."

"Fine!"

They didn't speak for the rest of the journey.

**Sooo ... what did ya think? I have to admit, I was a bit nervous writing Peyton's dream, but hopefully it was alright (fingers crossed). Please R&R. Song title from the song "Wilful Suspension of Disbelief by Modest Mouse". Next chapter. Brooke and Peyton talk, the return of Nathan (Yay) Peyton sees Lucas. **


	3. Harder To Breathe

**Hey, so I realised it's been about a week since I last updated this story. Sorry guys, this officially means that I suck! Hopefully, this chapter will make up for that! Anyway... enjoy!**

Chapter 3 – Harder to Breathe

The plane landed smoothly on the asphalt, the doors were opened, and people left their seats; stepping into the warm air.

There was nothing unusual about this, and from the outside things appeared perfectly normal. However, on the inside, things weren't.

A young curly-haired woman, appearing to be barely in her twenties, was having some sort of panic attack.

"Brooke, I can't do it. I can't face them, _him._" she clutched the front of her brunette friend's shirt and her breathing was short and sharp.

"Yes, you can P." Her friend looked at her sternly.

When she still looked doubtful the brunette sighed, ", you are by far the strongest person I know! So stop whinging and get off the goddamn plane!"

The woman looked shocked. "Okay Brooke."

* * *

Nathan made his way through the crowd with his one year old son in tow. The boy was perched on his father's arm and he was babbling happily. But Nathan was more concerned to see his two best friends. He had offered to pick them up from the airport, he had also rescued Peyton's beloved car, the Comet, from the garage where it had been sitting for over a year now.

He spotted the two girls and motioned at them to come over.

"Hey hotshot." Brooke winked at him giving him a one-armed hug.

"Hey, Brooke. Sawyer." He reached out for a hug from Peyton.

"Hey, Scott." She smiled brightly at him then took the child from his arms. "Baby James! Hi" she cooed at the baby and tickled his stomach.

Jamie giggled and smiled toothlessly.

"So where we going to hotshot?" Brooke said whilst grinning at Jamie.

"Erm... don't get mad."

"Why do I not like the sound of this?" Peyton was the one to speak.

"Well, Haley feels really bad about taking Lucas' side and everything, and she misses you two. So we're going back to ours then I'll take you to Sawyer's old house?" he questioned the girls waiting for an answer.

If he was being quite honest, he was fricking scared of what their reaction would be. The girls turned and looked at each other, then back to him. He was pretty sure they were just enjoying watching him squirm. He gulped, and was about to leg it. Until Peyton smiled with Brooke doing the same just moments later.

"Sure thing boytoy. I have to admit, I've missed Hales too. Even if she and Luke were convinced I was off my rocker." Peyton said with a hint of astringency before smiling again, Nathan hadn't seen her smile this month in over five months.

Brooke noticed this too, but whereas Nathan was happy to see his friend happy, Brooke was concerned. Her was hiding her feelings. This was going to end in a disaster.

* * *

They pulled up outside Nathan and Haley's apartment block. Jamie was asleep in the backseat with Brooke sat next to him, while Nathan drove and Peyton sat next to him.

Brooke got out fast, taking Jamie with her and practically running to the front door, delivering a flurry of knocks to the wood. Haley answered.

"oh my god, hi!" she wrapped her arms around the brunette and took her son. "it's so good to see you! Come in, I'll just go put James to bed, you make yourself comfortable." She ran into the back room with Jamie.

Nathan and Peyton were still walking up the stairs. "so Sawyer, how're you really doing?"

"alright I guess, how am I supposed to be doing? How are you, anyway?"

"alright, I guess." He repeated her words with a laugh.

"Nate...?"

"Yup?"

"Why has Haley suddenly had this major change of heart? I mean does she just pity me, cos I really don't want th-"

"Peyt, stop. You talk too much" he laughed again, before coming serious. "She doesn't know."

"Wait, what do you mean, 'she doesn't know'?" confusion was clearly etched on her face.

"As in, I didn't tell her about..." he trailed off. "you know. I figured that was your thing to share when or _if _you want to. But she felt guilty. You guys helped her so much. You're the only girl friends she has you know" He shrugged, and then winked at her.

"Thanks Nate, for not telling." She smiled at him.

"Anytime Sawyer." He hugged her sideways on as they continued their ascent to the Scott abode.

* * *

_2 hours later_

Haley, Nathan, Brooke and Peyton were all sat around Naley's kitchen table. They had just finished their dinner, and Haley had broken out the wine.

"So, don't get me wrong or anything, I love that you guys are back. But what made you two move back to Tree Hill?" the question seemed innocent enough, but without knowing she had done so, Haley just asked **the **taboo question.

Nathan and Brooke looked at each other as Peyton stared into the depths of her wine glass.

"What? What did I say, and what aren't you guys telling me?"

"Erm... Hales..." Nathan started. But Peyton cut him off.

"Nate it's ok."

He looked ay her and his eyes questioned her, she nodded her reassurance.

"What the hell us going on?" Haley was starting to get seriously worried.

"Haley, about two weeks ago, do you remember Nathan coming out to L.A?"

"Yeah, he said you invited him over for some dinner thing or something."

"Yeah. Well, there was no dinner party. There was going to be, so he didn't lie to you. Brooke was cooking, because neither of them would let me after I poisoned Luke and Derek. And it was at my apartment. But I never showed up..." she bit down on her lower lip, and Brooke squeezed her hand. After all, she only just remembered it in the middle of the night [forward slash] really, really early this morning.

"Ok, why?" Haley looked between her husband and her two closest girlfriends. "What happened?"

"I, I was r-" she didn't get to the end of her sentence before she broke down into sobs.

Brooke and Nathan were instantly by her side, both enveloping her in a giant bear hug.

"ok, guys. I'm really worried now. What's wrong?"

Brooke looked at her blonde best friend. "Should I?" she whispered directly to her.

Peyton could only nod.

"Haley, Peyton was raped." Haley gasped, out of all the things that could have happened. This was not something she expected.

"Oh my god. What? Who?"

"I don't know who. It must've been someone she worked with or something."

Peyton nodded. "My boss."

"What?" Brooke and Nathan spoke simultaneously.

"I didn't know you knew who it was" Brooke said.

"I didn't know you remembered anything" Nathan spoke over Brooke.

"I remembered last night, Nate."

", why did you not tell me you knew who it was!" Brooke chastised her friend.

"Why does it matter?"

"Peyton," Haley spoke again after a while of silence. "if you know who it was, you have to tell the police, or he might do it to someone else!"

"I don't know..." Peyton bit down on her bottom lip, this time hard enough to draw blood.

Brooke noticed that.

"Peyton! Stop, you're hurting yourself."

"I didn't mean to, . Sorry "

"No that's fine. But we should go. Thanks for having us Haley. See ya later Nate."

"Hey I'll drive you guys back." Nathan said, reaching to get his coat.

"No need. We have Peyton's car remember, you'd have to walk back." She laughed and hugged Haley and Nathan.

Peyton gave Nathan a hug. "stay strong Sawyer." He whispered in her ear. She nodded and went to Haley. "You'll be fine girlie, we're here for you if you need anything."

"Thank you guys. We'll see you later."

And with that they walked out of the house.

"She's gonna be ok, right Nate?"

He kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, babe. She's going to be fine."

**So how was that? Any good. I did it in kind of a rush so sorry for any typos. Title from Harde To Breathe by Maroon 5. Anyway, you know the drill R&R. Emma xxx**


	4. Overreaction

_**Heyyyy**_**, sooo... I'm sorry it's taken so long to update this, but my brother decided to kidnap the computer and put it in his room, **_**I only got it back cos I told him I had coursework I needed to do, due in for Monday, tehe. **_** But anyway, I hope this will make up for the lateness. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4 – Overreaction

The minutes passed tantalisingly slowly, seemingly teasing her as she sat in the dark abyss that was her room.

She knew it was stupid to be so afraid in her own home, the home that she grew up in, where she got tucked in at night by her parents, where she was safe.

Where she heard that her mom had died. Where the crazy squatters down the road kept their eyes on. Where she had a psycho stalker that tried to kill her. Twice.

Ok, so maybe it wasn't the safest place in the world. Maybe in her world it was the least safe place to be.

Taking in the dark red walls of her bedroom, she couldn't help but be afraid.

She was alone in the house, Brooke having being called away to a business meeting in L.A last night.

And she hated the colour red.

Red, the colour of blood, the colour you see when you get a concussion, the colour that she couldn't seem to escape.

And then, the black. The black bookcases, the black skirting. The colour of loss, the colour of coldness. The colour of death.

She just realised how neurotic she was being, she had been home alone before,hell she practically _lived _alone since she was fifteen, and she most definitely was not going to let some jackass who couldn't take no for an answer destroy her life.

She needed to take a stand for herself.

But in a minute, because at the moment, in her semi-dark room, she was scared.

And she couldn't believe what she was about to do. She was about to call Nathan, like the blubbering, scared little girl she is.

She leant over to her nightstand, and picked up the cell lying on it. Strolling through the contacts she didn't breathe until she found Nate's name and heard the familiar dialling tone. He answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" his voice sounded thick, like he'd been crying. Or he'd just woken up.

"Hey, Nate. It's Peyton. I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" she was debating whether she should just hang up now, but she knew he'd freak, so she didn't.

"No. Just watching the game, must've dozed off. Don't worry, Hales would've woken me up if you didn't. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just, I'm being stupid." She sniffled.

"Come on, Sawyer. I know you, you wouldn't call for nothing. What's wrong?"

"I'm scared." Her voice was all but a whisper, and she shook her head. She hated herself when she was like this.

"We'll be right over."

Before she could ask who the 'we' was he hung up. Five minutes later there was a flurry of knocks on the door. They were starting to get frantic. Peyton stood at the bottom of the stairs, paralyzed. She knew Nate was coming over- but he had a key, why would he knock.

"Peyt. Peyt! Are you ok? Le' me in!"

It w_as_ Nate. She opened the door.

"Hey Nate don't you have a..." her voice trailed off.

She had noticed the man standing next to him. The man she hadn't seen in well over four months. The man that left her in a hotel room, all alone. The man she loved. Hell, the man she loves. Lucas Scott.

She never thought she'd see him again. Never thought she'd see his loving face, his hair slick by the rain, or dry in the heat. The care on his face, care that was for her, or that sweater. The sweater. '_Keith's Body Shop'_ emblazoned on the back.

"SAWYER! Are you ok?" Nathan screamed her name, trying to get her attention back on earth.

"Yeah... I was just being... stupid." She sounded like she was in a far away world, her voice distant. Her eyes, however, were locked on Lucas.

"What are you doing here?"

Lucas flinched; her voice was steely and ice-cold. All he wanted to do was to grab her and kiss her. Then he remembered that she had rejected him. And his demeanour quickly turned equally as steel-like as hers.

"I was watching the game with Nate, then you called and he started rushing over, I didn't particularly want to walk home so he was going to give me a lift back later. If that's ok with you?" his tone was dripping with sarcasm, he was waiting. Waiting for a typical Peyton Sawyer come-back. Filled with venom, that's his Peyton- all venom and curls. He loved it.

She merely nodded though, and Lucas seemed shocked at her lack of biting remarks. She turned around and headed towards the kitchen. Nathan followed, shooting Lucas a shooting warning as he too entered the kitchen. He was alone in the hall way.

"What the hell is going on?" the silence then hovered in the air, and he went to join the other two in the kitchen

* * *

Nathan moved through the kitchen with expertise, getting everything necessary to make them all mugs of tea.

"Jesus, Sawyer. Have these cupboards even been opened since you went to L.A?"

"Sure they have. Last night."

"Ha hah" his tone was sarcastic and he rolled his eyes. But a smile started to form on his face, not a typical Scott-cocky smirk, but a genuine smile.

He sure had missed this girl; his best friend.

"So, you ok now?"

"Yeah, I am. I was just- I remembered the last time I was in this house, a psycho stalker was trying to kill me. And Brooke wasn't here and I just... oh, I don't know. I wanted to see your handsome face?" her voice lifted towards the end of her sentence, she wondered if this would be enough of an answer.

Evidentaly, it was.

"Well, my features are dazzling and all. And I'm sorry, I forgot about psycho-Derek. You should've come and stayed with me and Haley for a while- at least while Brooke was away- we wouldn't have minded you know. Do you want to?"

"Thanks for the offer, Nate. But I'll be fine. You really didn't even have to come over. I never told you too." She sighed, looking down at the table top. Drawing patterns with her finger tip across the surface.

"I know, but I wanted to." he smiled at her again, but it fell on blind eyes. Peyton was still looking at her table, and his brother- well, his brother was staring at the blonde sitting across from him, no surprise there.

Nathan brought over the drinks and they sat in comfortable silence for a bit.

Lucas was the one to break it. "there's no music."

"What?" Peyton and Nathan were almost simultaneous in their answers.

"You have no music playing. You usually have music playing." He paused. "why have you got no music playing?"

Peyton shrugged. "Didn't have any music to fit my mood."

Nathan and Lucas both looked at each other, than at her.

"What?" she sounded quite self-conscious. "What? Stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what, Peyt." Lucas was leaning across the table and he looked directly into her eyes; he inwardly flinched at his stupidity in using her nickname. He was trying not to get attached, but staring into those green eyes of hers he knew he'd have some kind of problem.

"Like, you think I've gone insane! I'm sick of people looking at me like that, everyone is doing it. Especially Brooke! Urgh, I swear to god, Brooke is going to drive me insane. She keeps going 'are you ok? Are you sure? Are you positive? Come on P, talk to me.' And it's just... ARGH!" she let out a tini scream of frustration and jumped up, throwing the chair behind her.

Lucas and Nathan stood up with her.

"Calm down Peyton." Nathan took a step forward and held on to her arms.

She flinched away from his touch. "GET OFF OF ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screeched.

Nathan felt like he'd just been burnt, his best friend flinched when he touched her. But at the same time, he figured if anyone had an excuse to do that it would be her.

"Peyton, calm down."

"No! Don't fucking tell me to calm down. I'll calm down when I bloody well want to!"

She stormed out of the kitchen with the boys following close behind. Running up the stairs, she called over her shoulder. "You can both leave now!"

She ran to her bedroom and slammed the door.

"Should we?" Lucas motioned to the front room.

"Yeah, let's watch the rest of the game. She'll come down when she's ready."

They settled onto the couch and switched the telly on. This was going to be a long night.

**Hey, so what do you all think. I really wasn't happy with this chapter but oh well, what can you do? Chapter title from ****Overreaction - Voidvod**

**Y'all know what to do R&R xx:)**


	5. Take Back the City

**Heyyaaa, so, I'm kinda in the middle of an English lesson here, sort of finished what I was supposed to be doing, so instead I wrote this lol, anyways Enjoy! **

***** sorry I wrote this like three days ago but I couldn't get it on, computer wouldn't load it for some reason anyway, here it is now, enjoy!*****

**Chapter 5 – Take Back the City**

The television was on, the match playing, but neither of the brothers were paying much attention to it.

The discomfort in the air was tangible, and they were sat in silence for a long time.

Eventually, Lucas couldn't take the silence any longer

"Nate, what the hell is up with her?"

Nathan shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Luke, man, it's not my place to tell you that."

Lucas sighed, "I guess so... it's just weird. I mean, everyone seems to know this massive secret about her, but I don't. I guess I'm just not used to..." he hesitated. "Not knowing everything about her. She used to tell me everything."

"I guess you lost that privilege, Lucas Scott," the voice was coming from the doorway, and it was biting, "when you ABANDONED me in that hotel room." She very nearly screamed the word 'abandoned'.

Lucas stood up, "Peyt. I'm sor-"

"No! Don't you 'Peyt I'm sorry' me, you left me. And you weren't there when I needed you the most. You weren't there when I could hardly get through a day at work without my ASS-HAT of a boss sexually harassing me. You weren't there when my father DIED, just TWO weeks after you left me. You weren't there when my biological father came looking for me. You weren't there when said biological-father was a big druggie and only wanted to know me to get money."

She stopped and took in a breath. Lucas didn't know what to say, he didn't know any of this was happening, he opened his mouth to speak, but before he got the chance, she was speaking again.

"You weren't there for the worst four months of my life..." she bit her lip, she didn't know if she should tell him, she knew it'd make him feel horrible and she didn't think she could be that mean.

"_I _wasn't there? YOU weren't there. You weren't there when I needed you. You know, Peyton, you aren't the only one who has bad things happen in their life, everyone does, so GET OVER IT!" he roared.

Oh, the hell with it, she could be mean if she wanted to be.

"Oh, yeah? You had a bad couple of months? WELL AT LEAST YOU WEREN'T RAPED!" she screamed, there were tears streaming down her face, she turned around on the spot, and ran out of the room; back to her room.

Lucas was still standing, his mouth agape.

"Luke, you ok man?" Nathan stood up and put his hand on his shoulder.

During all the screaming, Lucas had forgotten that his brother was still in the room with him, he shrugged away from his touch, as if he'd been burnt. "So that's the big secret?"

Nathan nodded, head facing downwards, looking at his shoes as though they were the most interesting things in the world.

Lucas stood still, feeling the anger bubbling in his chest he asked his brother the dreaded question. "Who was it?"

Nathan continued looking down.

"Nate! Look at me." The younger man complied with his brother's wish. "Who. Was. It?"

"Luke... I don't know if I should t-"

"Nathan! Tell me, or I swear to god I will rip your head off!"

Nathan gulped. He didn't doubt that he would do it for one second. "Her boss."

"Has she gone to the police?"

Lucas sat back down on the sofa, his face ashen white. Nathan copied his actions.

"No. She won't go; we've all tried to get her to go. Me, Haley, Brooke. Nothing."

"I'll get her to go." He stood up again; Nathan would've found his brother jumping up and down like a jack-in-a-box funny to look at, if the situation was different that is.

"I don't know if that's a good..." he watched his brother leave the room, slamming the door behind him.

He turned away. "idea." He said to the empty room, 'might as well watch the game while whatever's going on up there is going on' he thought to himself, whilst turning the volume up.

* * *

The house was exactly as it had been in senior year, minus the sounds of her newest musical find blaring.

He didn't knock on her closed door; he just walked straight in, like he was used to.

He wasn't so much used to the sight he met – Peyton lying in the middle of her queen sized bed, crying her heart out.

He saw the motion of her chest heaving up and down with her laboured breaths.

"Peyton..."

She looked up, she hadn't noticed him.

Sitting up, she quickly wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Luke. I'm a bit of an emotional wreck right now. I shouldn't have said half of the things I said. I'm- I'm sor- I'm sorry" her voice cracked and she broke into hysterical sobs.

"Hey, hey, shh... don't cry." He sat next to her on the bed, and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder. "It's ok. And don't worry about what happened downstairs, it doesn't matter, and I think I deserved all of it." He let out a nervous chuckle.

"You wanna talk about it?" She shook her head, no. "It's ok, Peyt. You don't have to if you don't want to."

They sat in silence as she tried to shake her tears. She pulled away and looked up at him.

"I didn't remember at first." He just stared at her. And she realised she was finally opening up, to Lucas Scott of all people. "The doctor said that I might never remember it, and we all hoped I wouldn't. But, then I did – remember that is, I sort of had, like a dream or something, the night before me and Brooke flew back to... well, here. I knew it wasn't _just_ a dream though. It all felt too real, it was a memory." The tears were still streaming gently down her face, she looked tragic. "I can still see it, feel it. Every time I close my eyes, I see his face, see him grinning manically. I feel his hands on me, feel him _in_ me. I- I can't get rid of it, Luke. I just... can't"

She started sobbing again, as Lucas tried to take in all that information and console her at the same time.

"Shh... calm down, babe. You're fine, Peyt."

He felt her stiffen in his arms.

"What did you just call me?"

"Err... Peyt?"

"No, before that," he didn't answer, "you called me 'babe'. Don't call me that, you don't get to call me that anymore. You don't."

"Peyton"

"Whatever you're going to say, save it." She jumped up from the bed. "You _left _me; you don't get to call me 'babe' anymore. You can't just stroll in here and think everything's going to be fine."

"Peyton, please just let me-"

She cut him off, for the gazillionth time that day. "No, save it. Just... get out."

"Peyton, please-"

"Now"

"Ok, I'm going; I'm so sorry Peyt, for everything."

* * *

_In New York_

"Miss Davis, are you sure this is the direction you want to go in?" the old man sitting around the oval desk asked her for the third time that day.

'Why is he even in this room?'

"Yes," she replied through gritted teeth. "This is the way we are going, no ifs, and no buts."

"But..."

"I just said no buts."

"Yeah, but. Victoria thought it'd be better to take the Victorian elements style."

'Urgh, if it wasn't bad enough that Victorian elements was a style, my mother had to come up with it'

"Victorian elements will NOT be in my store. Capische?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ok, good, so that's settled then. Now all of you, skidaddle."

They all left the room, and Brooke turned around to take her boards down when a voice from the doorway alerted her of another's presence.

"Skidaddle? Seriously, is that even a word?"

She spun around quickly, "Julian!" she screamed and ran across the room, flinging herself into her boyfriend's arms. He kissed her passionately.

"Hey," he whispered breathlessly when they finally broke apart.

"Hi." She looked into his eyes, "what are you doing here. How did you even know I'd be here?"

"I came to tell you some news, and Peyton told me when I rang your house phone earlier."

"Oh, did she sound ok?"

"Yeah, she seemed alright. But you know how well she can hide her emotions, and it's a lot easier to do over the phone."

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, what's your news?"

"I'm moving to Tree Hill, if that's alright with you?"

"Really?" he nodded in affirmation and she screamed. "Why?"

"To be with my beautiful girlfriend." She smacked his chest, blushing slightly. 'Boy, he's really getting to me, I just blushed.' She thought.

"That and I have a job there, producing a television programme called 'One Tree Hill'."

"Really? Where'd you get the idea for that?"

"Well, there's this little-known author called Lucas Scott." He grinned as he saw her mouth pop into a perfect 'o' shape. "And I'm friends with his editor, Lindsay Strauss, and she convinced him to base a T.V series off of it, she said that when the book hits the stores in a month it'd be good publicity. So I'm headed off to tree hill, to meet him, and the characters... that I don't know already, so not you and Peyton. I would say, that Lucas will need to get signed permission off you guys fairly soon, to release it and everything."

"OH MY GOD!" her voice was extremely high-pitched and Julian winced. "My life's being turned into a series, and Julian! This is great!"

"Yeah, it is."

They stared at each other for a while, Brooke didn't think she'd ever been this in-love, although she got pretty close with Lucas.

Their perfect moment was ruined when her phone rang.

"Oh, shoot. Babe I gotta take this, it's Nate."

"Oh yes, your other lover." He clutched his heart, feigning pain. She wacked his chest and flipped her phone open.

"Hey Nate, what's up?"

"_Luke knows."_

"Oh, that's bad."

**Urgh, so this sucked, I know. But what can ya do? **

**Chapter title from 'Take Back the City by Snow Patrol'**

** R&R xx **


	6. Enough For Now

**Wow, I've been like, totally AWOL. I lost inspiration, then when I got it back – my brother put the computer in his room **** BUTTTT... on the upside, it's the summer hols as of FRIDAY! WOOP! I should update over that time. Anywhoss Enjoy!**

**Chapter 6 – Enough For Now**

"Knock knock?"

Peyton looked up from her drawing and smiled. "Hey Nate... I haven't seen you since... last night, when I went ballisto on you and Luke? Sorry about that by the way."

Nathan laughed. "Nah, you're alright Sawyer. We're good, I'm actually glad you got all that off of your chest. How ya doing?"

"Urgh! Can we not talk about me right now?"

"Ok, what do you wanna talk about instead?"

"Anything, rockets, belts. I'd even talk about _basketball _if we had nothing else to talk about!"

He laughed again. "You... basketball? I thought your cheerleading days were over?"

"Nuh-uh, I still got it." She smiled a true, genuine smile. "But let's not go there shall we? How're Haley and Baby-James?"

"They're good, well Jamie is at least." His smile vanished, and was replaced with a small frown, as though he was deep in thought.

"What's wrong with Haley?" Peyton was immediately alert and all joking atmosphere was gone from the room.

"I don't know Peyt, that's the thing. She's being really... off with me?" he sighed. "I just don't get it. She's been like this for a few days... well since you and Brooke got back to be honest."

"Oh, you think it's our fault? What can we do to help?"

Nathan laughed for what felt like the billionth time in about five minutes, "No, not that it's your fault per se-"

He was cut off by Peyton "Per se? Jesus, what the hell happened to you Scott? You sound... almost, clever!" she dissolved into fits of giggles and a cushion was flung at her head.

"I married a tutor remember?" he hit her with the cushion again. "Speaking of whom... weren't we talking about Haley?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm sorry go on. You got to the bit about per se" she fought to keep her face straight.

"Yes, not that it's your fault, _per se,_" he paused to stick his tongue out at her. "I think it's just that you guys were the closest girls she ever been to, well apart from her sisters, when you two left, she was left with a load of guys again, and she wasn't used to it. Well she was before, but she sorta got used to having girlfriends again, you following this by the way?" he waited for her to nod before continuing, "then she stayed in contact with you up until 'the proposal'" he bent his fingers when he said 'the proposal', " then there was Team Luke, and Team Peyt. And Haley was Tem Luke, Brooke was Team Peyt, you two didn't really talk to her during the 'team' faze. I think she just feels bad, you know?"

"I know what you mean... I feel really guilty about not talking to her; I just don't know how to reconnect with her..."

The room was silent for a minute, as neither of them spoke.

"That's the part when you're supposed to tell me what to do Nate."

He scoffed, "why should I know?"

"Ermm... she's your wife?"

"Ermm... she's your friend?"

"Naaaaate!"

"Don't Naaaaate me Peyton Marie Sawyer."

"Ok, you bitch. Get out!" she swatted him on the chest and laughed.

"What'd I do?" his hands were in the air and he feigned innocence.

"You called me Peyton Marie Sawyer, only Brooke calls me that, and she has the right date, so get your facts straight man!"

"I'm pretty sure I still know your 'dates' P.E.S."

"Really huh N.R.S?"

"Uh huh, next..." he squinted in concentration. "Thursday...ish" he tacked on as an afterthought.

"Ok, you totally just made that up!"

"No, I never. I was just doing some very quick maths. Why was I wrong?"

She didn't answer.

"No way? I was right. Awesome!"

"Don't push your luck Nate. "

"Ok, ok. I'm going now; wanna get some ice-cream?"

Peyton grinned, 'just what I needed. God, Nate, sometimes I really love you!' "Sure thing, let's go,"

**Sorry, this was REALLY short. I just wanted to get some stuff posted for you guys; it's been nearly a month. Next update should (hopefully) be up before that period of time manages to pass by again, but I suck so you never know! Chapter title was from the song '****Enough For Now by The Fray' ****R&R pleeeease, EmmaJoie x**


	7. Sweet Child O' Mine

**Hello. Right, so I've pretty much decide I'm no longer going to promise updates at any time 'cause I never stick to it! Anyways, here's the newest chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 7 – Sweet Child o' Mine?

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. Calm down Peyton. Shit! This is stressful."

Peyton Sawyer was locked in her bathroom, sitting on the floor, an egg timer placed by her head.

She laughed non-comically "Wow. I'm talking to myself, the first sign of insanity, _just_ what I need right now! Urgh... hurry up!"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"P. Sawyer?"

"One second!" Her voice came out frustrated and harsher than she expected.

"Okey dokey. C'mon Julian, let's go see Naley." She said before shouting through the doorway. "P. Sawyer, we'll be at Naley's when you've stopped being so PMS!"

'If only it was PMS' she thought to herself before sighing. 'Well at least I'm not talking aloud anymore...'

* * *

"Hey Naley." Brooke bounced through the young couple's front door to see them both slung over the breakfast bar nursing giant mugs of coffee.

"Mornin'." Nathan managed a garbled reply while Haley just nodded her head.

"What's up with you two?" Brooke asked with a giant grin on her face.

'Stupid grin.' Nathan wanted to wipe it off, but he knew that his wife would be angry. 'Urgh,' was his next thought. 'Look what's happened to me, I'm Nathan Scott, I used to let _nothing _and _no one _get in my way or tell me what to do. Now what? I'm nineteen; coming up to my third wedding anniversary and I have a sixteen month old baby? What happened?'

"Oh no, is he alright?" Nathan was pulled from his reverie by Brooke's shocked voice.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Jamie?" Brooke spoke slowly, like Nathan was stupid. "Hales just said he was ill. Is he ok?"

"Oh, oh right. Yeah, it was just like a bug. The doctor said it was probably only 24 hours and that it'd hit worse after 3-4 hours of getting it." He explained.

"Unfortunately, those '3-4 hours' happened to be the middle of the night, so we're exhausted!" Haley yawned into her coffee.

"Awh... you poor things! Do you want me and Jules to take him for a bit? You guys can catch up on your sleep."

"Thanks for the offer, Brooke. But we'll be fine, honest."

"Are you sure, boytoy? You don't have to sleep... if ya know what I mean?" she waggled her eyebrows at him suggestively.

Haley laughed. "Thanks Brooke, but no thanks. I'm too tired."

Brooke giggled, "first you, next Nathan will be saying 'oh not tonight honey, I have a headache'!"

"He already does."

"No way!"

"Once!" he semi-shouted "Once, and I actually _did _have a headache. I mean, come on. Would you make Julian if he had a headache?"

"Yes," both Brooke and Julian replied simultaneously.

Nathan looked at Julian with his mouth agape. "Seriously?"

"If Brooke wanted me to, yeah." He looked at Brooke with open love on his features.

"Excuse me one sec while I gag on my coffee."

"Shut up, Nate! You and Haley used to be like this once. It's called the honey-moon stage. Hell! Even you and P. Sawyer were like this once!"

"We were not, me and Hales maybe, but not me and Sawyer. Speaking of whom, how _is _my **favourite **best friend." He stuck his tongue out at Brooke.

"I'm fine, thanks." Brooke replied Nathan just looked at her. "Urgh, you two totally push me out all the time. You like her more than me don't you?"

"Yeah." Nathan said.

Brooke huffed.

"Besides, _I _push _you _out? You two have like, your own language!"

"_French _is not our own language. And you speak it too!"

"Not as well as you two and you know I can only understand if it's slow! And you guys talk really fast. And Haley and Lucas took Spanish so _they _don't know either, or they'd explain it."

"Not my fault you're just not as good."

"Not my fault you had an extra year of learning!"

"When did you guys learn French again?" Haley asked.

"I started learning when I was five, Nate when he was six."

"Who taught you?"

"Mama Sawyer. It's actually like Peyt's first language or something."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"That's why I'm not as good." Nathan explained. "I started learning a year after Brooke, and then, well Anna died when we were eight so... Larry taught us a bit more, but once you get older, it's harder to pick up."

"Oh, ok then." Haley went back to her coffee.

"Well, anyway. We best get going. Right Jules?"

"Yep. Busy, busy day ahead." He smirked.

"You guys are going to have sex aren't you?" Nathan point blank asked.

"Nathan" Haley admonished him.

"Never." Julian replied

"Are you suggesting that we'd seriously leave you when you are so desperately tired to go satisfy our own needs? Brooke asked in a mock hurt voice.

"Yes,"

"Oh, you know me so well, boytoy. See ya!"

There was a flurry of movement, an opening and closing of doors, until finally silence and only Nathan and Haley were left in the small room.

"I can't believe they'd do that." Haley said as she got up to leave the room and check on Jamie.

"I could." Nathan said to the empty air once his wife had left.

* * *

Lucas let himself into the sawyer/Davis residence.

"Brooke, Peyton? Is anyone home?"

"I'm in the bathroom one sec! Just go in the front room or something."

"Ok!" he called upstairs. Well at least Peyton was talking to him now, even if it wasn't when she was in the same room as him.

Today was the day he was going to tell her he loved her with all his heart and nothing could ever change his mind, he felt good about today.

* * *

The seconds were going tantalisingly slowly, even more so now that she knew Lucas was just downstairs.

She was completely lost in her own thoughts; she was only shaken from them when the timer went off.

She got up, but found herself unable to look at it, so she went downstairs, hands behind back.

"Hey Luke, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, what?"

She pulled her hands in front of her. "I can't look." She whispered.

"Can't look at wha...?" he looked at what was in her hands. "Oh." Maybe something could change his mind afterall.

It was a pregnancy test. Great.

**Hey, so it's pretty late where I am (well not really, it's only half nine, but I'm tired so...), and I have a few questions I need answering before I can post again.**

**1. Should Peyton be pregnant **WARNING** If she is, it will be her attacker... none of that "think it was the rapist, but by some miracle turns out to be Lucas'" mumbo-jumbo.**

**2. Should this be a Leyton fic, or a Pathan fic, I can do either one, and either way Nathan will still be a massive role in this fic.**

**PLEASSE answer the questions and review if possible, (it doesn't take long to do!) I'm at a bit of a lost end as to what you guys all expect from this story, so input would be fab!**

**I know this was verrry short and I'm really sorry! **

**Song was 'Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses' R&R!**


	8. Run

**Hey, thanks to everyone who reviewed and gave me their input. Sorry if your choice didn't get chosen! Enjoy!**

Chapter 8 – Run

"_Hey Luke, can you do me a favour?"_

"_Sure, what?"_

_She pulled her hands in front of her. "I can't look." She whispered._

"_Can't look at wha...?" he looked at what was in her hands. "Oh."_

_It was a pregnancy test. Great._

* * *

She bit down gently on her bottom lip, "Luke? Say something please. Anything? Lucas?"

"Huh?" his eyes finally tore away from the small object in her hands and settled on her face. He took in the worry etched on her features, the tiny frown formed over her eyes, her teeth tugging her lip, her eyes wide and afraid. "I'm sorry. Erm, sure." He cleared his throat. "Come here then."

She scurried over to him and perched on the edge of the sofa. "You don't mind?"

"Of course I don't, Peyt." He smiled sadly at her and held his hand out. She didn't move.

"But..." she trailed off, her teeth once again finding their way to her lip.

"But what?"

"What if I am?" her voice was quiet, so quiet that Lucas wasn't sure if she was actually talking to him.

"Pregnant?" he asked.

She nodded. "What would I do?"

"I don't know, Peyt. We'll get to that when we know, I promise. Ok?"

She nodded again and handed him the test, she liked how what he said sounded. He said 'we' and somewhere deep down – very deep down – she almost wanted it to be positive, just to see if he would keep the promise.

"Peyt, what does one line mean?"

"Oh thank god!" she leaned over and enveloped Lucas is a giant bear-like hug.

"I'm going to go out on a whim here and guess it means negative?" he laughed slightly and felt her nod against his chest, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, when Peyton pulled away from him he really wanted to pull her back. Her face was blotchy and he watched silently as she wiped her face. "You're crying."

"Thanks Captain Obvious, I hadn't noticed." She let out a watery laugh. "Don't worry, they're happy tears." She smiled at him.

"good." He told her, and his voice was so sincere, she couldn't _not_ believe him.

"Yeah... anyway, you must have come around here for a reason?"

"Oh. Yeah, it doesn't really matter. I just came to see how you were really."

"I'm good." She smiled.

"Of course, that's why the first thing you said to me... face to face that is was : 'can you tell me if I'm pregnant?'"

"I believe I said 'can you do me a favour.'" She playfully shoved him and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ouch," he grabbed him chest where she had pushed him, "that hurt Peyt." He said in mock pain.

"Awh, poor baby!" her voice resembled one of a mocking child. "Is 'ickle Eugene hurt?" she half-pouted, half-smiled at him.

"Not funny... Elizabeth." He shook his head.

"See, that doesn't work, cos I happen to like my middle name. You might get away with that with Brooke, or even Nate," she scoffed. "Royal, tehe. But not me, cos I'm too cool for that!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, I gotta get going; I'm meeting with my publisher. You gonna be alright?"

"Course I will be, when am I ever not?"

"Uhm, like last week, when you called me and Nate."

"Yeah, well that doesn't count. It was late and there was thunder and lightning."

"Whatever you say, see you later?"

"Yep, later."

When he was gone, she couldn't help but smile to herself.

* * *

"So, where are you going again?"

"On a double date P. Sawyer, you never listen do you?"

"Of course I do Brooke, just not often."

Peyton was sat in Brooke's room idly flipping through a Q magazine while Brooke was trying to find something to wear.

"What about this?" Brooke asked pulling out yet another black dress.

"Bee, I love you and all – but seriously that is like the twentieth dress you've pulled out! You're a fashion guru, just pick something already!"

"Ok, ok. I'll wear _this _dress." She looked at the dress she was still holding. "Do you have any red ear-rings?"

"Err, yeah I think so. Why?"

"I think I might do the whole black dress bright accessories, you know, red shoes, read ear-rings, red bracelet, red-"

"Ok, ok. I get it, red accessories?"

"Yup." She smiled a full force, dimpled smile at her best friend. It was good to see Peyton almost back to normal, even if she knew it was a facade, and she still wouldn't go to the police.

"I'm on it." Peyton said, getting up.

"What?" had she somehow read Brooke's thoughts, was she going to the police?

"I'm on a mission to find you red accessories!"

"Oh, thanks!"

By the time Peyton had returned with red ear-rings, red shoes, a red bangle, and a garnet necklace – Brooke had changed into her dress and was curling her hair.

"Is this enough?" Peyton asked.

"Hmmm?" Brooke turned to look at her friend. "Woah, _too_ much."

"Oh, well what don't you need?"

"Lose the necklace, the rest I'll take."

"OK." Peyton dropped the stuff on the bed, and returned to her magazine.

* * *

"Peyton! We're going, so get your skinny ass down here!" Brooke shouted up the stairs.

Peyton jogged down the stairs, "Why do I have to come down... oh, hey. Brooke, what's going on?" she asked seeing Nathan, Haley, Mouth, Skillz, Lucas, and a sleeping Jamie.

"You're babysitting for Naley."

"I am?"

"Brooke!" Haley chimed in, "You didn't tell her."

Brooke shrugged non-chalantly. "I forgot, she's not doing anything, I don't know why you're so stressed."

"Peyton, are you ok with this, I mean – we don't have to go. Or we can get the guys to stay at ours?" Haley bit her lip.

"Hales, go. Have fun, enjoy having a child-free apartment for the night." She winked. "Baby James'll be fine with me"

"Thank you sooo much, Jamie is totally not going to Skillz and Mouth's until it gets _properly _cleaned Luke couldn't take him cos, well he's sleeping on our couch while his water gets fixed." Haley stated, Peyton glanced at Lucas who shrugged. "Which, by the way, you've got Luke for the night too. Tell Skillz and Mouth to go home whenever, and if anything goes wrong call me, and-"

Peyton cut her off "Foxy, shut up. Go, have fun."

"What if he gets ill?" Haley hesitated, torn between her husband and her son.

"If he gets ill, I'll take him to the hospital." Peyton tells her.

"You hate hospitals."

"But I _love _Jamie." Peyton says, trying to reassure her.

"What if someone comes in with a gun?" Haley asks.

"They won't."

"Well, what if Luke has a heart attack at the top of the stairs and pushes you all down?"

Peyton sighed, "Lucas, have you taken your tablets today?" he nodded at her. "Then he won't."

"What if your psycho stalker comes back?"

"Lucas will throw him out of a window." Peyton smiled at Lucas.

"What?" Haley asked distractedly, no doubt trying to find more reasons to not go out.

"Never mind." Peyton said.

"What if-"

"Haley!" Peyton shouted her name to get her attention. "Nothing is going to happen." She tells her in a softer voice.

"You sure?"

"Yes." Peyton says, trying to suppress a grin.

"And if anything happens-"

"I'll call you straight away."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart."

"Ok," Haley takes a deep breath before turning to Brooke. "Let's go, Tigger!"

Brooke lets out a tiny squeal and claps quickly. "Yay, Tutor-Mom! C'mon Jules."

"Ok, see ya later, Peyt. Guys" Julian waves to everyone before following his girlfriend and Haley out of the house.

"Thanks so much, sawyer." Nathan says as he passes her Jamie.

"No problem, Scott. Go have some fun, but please don't strip anywhere in public, again." She winks at him.

"Shh." Nathan says, holding a finger to his lips in mock seriousness. "We're not supposed to tell anyone about that, remember. Anyway, I should go. Bye guys."

"Bye." They all said together.

After he'd left, all the boys turned to her. "Stripping?" Lucas asks.

"Yep."

"How'd that happen?" Mouth asks.

"I asked him to."

"Wait, what?" Lucas asks.

"It was in, like, sophomore year - while we were dating. He managed to get us banned from a restaurant for showing his ass to the customers while they were trying to eat." She smiles slightly at the memory."

"So, you just ask and he does it?" Lucas asks incredulously.

"I can be very persuasive." She replies.

"I bet yo' can, skinny girl" Skillz says before winking at her.

"Right, I'm gonna put him in bed," she motions to Jamie. "Oh, wait. I don't have a crib. Bugger it!"

"Knew I forgot something!" Lucas says.

"Idiot! Actually, I'll check the cupboard, I might still have Jenny's old one. Hold him," she puts Jamie in Lucas' arms before running up to find the crib.

* * *

A few hours later, and the boys are all sat in the front room, watching animatedly some match or the other on the telly with potato chips and beers, while Peyton is sat curled up on the love seat with a beer looking bored.

"What's the score?" she asks.

"47-44, three points difference." Lucas tells her, without looking away from the screen.

"Really? I can't do basic math, you see." She says, sarcasm dripping off her voice.

"Sorry."

"Who's winning?"

"We are."

"Who are we supporting again?"

Lucas groans.

"What?"

"We're supporting the bobcats, Peyton." Mouth says with a pained expression on his face.

"Thank you Mouth. Jesus, this game is so boring!"

There's a collective intake of breath as all three boys turn to look at her with shocked expressions.

"Yo' skinny girl, this game is so not boring. 'K?"

"Whatever. Is it nearly over?" she asks.

"YES!" they all shout at her.

"Hey, shh. Don't you dare wake up baby James."

"Sorry." Lucas says.

"Yeah, sorry Peyt. This is just a bit stress full at the moment."

"Why?" she asks.

"Shh! Shh, skinny girl. 15 seconds left." Skillz tells her.

Peyton sighs and taps her foot.

"YES! WE WON!" all three boys jump out of their seats scattering potato chips everywhere and hugging each other.

"I am not tidying that up." Peyton tells them.

"We know, we will." Lucas says before all four of them are in a giant group hug.

"So... we won?" Peyton asks.

"Yes!" Skillz laughs.

Just then, through the baby monitor they can all hear screams.

"You are all _dead!" _Peyton points at all of them before leaving to go check on Jamie.

"Oops?" Skillz says to Lucas and Mouth before shouting up the stairs. "My bad, baby doll!"

"Skillz, do you have a death wish?" Lucas says.

"Yeah, man. Shut up before she skins you alive!" Mouth adds.

Skillz laughs and flops back onto the sofa, "Baby doll? Nah, she's too nice."

**Hmmm... So what did you all think? I wanted to make this chapter longer, but I'm getting tired *yawns to add emphasis***

**Question time! Yay.**

**I'm toying around with the idea of one of the crazy things Haley was saying actually happening. What do you think yes/no?**

**Choices are... 1 . Jamie gets ill.**

**2 . Psycho stalker.**

**3 . Gun man.**

**4 . Lucas has a heart attack (he won't knock them all down the stairs though!)**

**Tell me what you think! Song was 'Run by Snow Patrol' just cos I love that song xD**


	9. I'm Not Sleeping

**Hellooooo :P sooo, I got a pretty even split on what I should do this chapter. So I was at a bit of a crossroads, so this chapter is the idea I thought sounded best! Enjoy!**

Chapter 9 – I'm Not Sleeping

"I just remembered, as much as I _love_ children - especially baby James - I really, really prefer my sleep!"

Peyton flopped down onto the sofa, between Mouth and Skillz. The television had long since been turned off in fear of waking an already fussy Jamie. It was nearly one in the morning

"Hey, baby doll?" Skillz asked

"Mmmm?"

"Can you put some music on or somethin', yo' house freaks me out, and the silence ain't really helpin' you know?"

Peyton laughed. "Uhm, I don't really have any music here, Skillz."

"Come again? Peyton Sawyer: skinny girl, baby doll, P. Sawyer! Doesn't have any music?"

"Err, nope. Not at the moment at least. They're all still in storage, I just haven't gone to get them yet." She explained.

"Why are they in storage?" Mouth asked.

"I don't know. When my dad died, my Gran put it all in a storage thingy. But, luckily for Skillz, I have one CD."

"A CD, hmmm... I thought you were more of a vinyl girl?" Skillz said.

"I am. Technically, the CD is Julian's but oh well. Also, we _technically_ have 2 CD's but one of them doesn't count."

"Which one doesn't count?" Lucas asked her.

"Chris Keller. Urgh." She shivered. "We have some Kanye West though." She smiled at Skillz.

"Mmmm-hmmm, that's more like it. Which one?"

"808's and Heartbreak"

"Pop that baby in!" Skillz clapped his hands.

"Ok."

* * *

About an hour (and half a game of monopoly) later Skillz and Mouth announced that they should probably go home as college was starting again after the summer holidays tomorrow... or later on that day.

"I didn't realise college was starting again. Do you, Haley, and Nate not have school tomorrow?" Peyton asked Lucas when they were alone.

"Haley and Nate have late starting classes, and I don't have to be in till Thursday."

"Ok, well it's late; we should get some shut eye." She said yawning, and standing up at the same time.

"Yeah, but Peyt...?"

"Mmmm?"

"I need to talk to you about something. Can you sit down, please?" he asked her.

"Err, sure." She sat down slowly next to him on the loveseat.

'She looks nervous' he thought. "Peyt, will you do me a favour?" he asked her.

"Sure, I owe you anyway. What do you need?" she asked.

"I need you to go to the police about your attack." He stated boldly.

"Luke..."

"No. Don't 'Luke' me. You really need to go to the police, Peyt." He said. "I know I wasn't there when it first happened," she scoffed at that, and opened her mouth to say something. "BUT," he continued, cutting her off before she got the chance to speak. "I was here when you exploded at me and Nate for asking you where your music was. I watched you jump from Nathan's touch – _Nathan's_ touch, your _best friend_, well male one at least. I've watched that bruise –right there," he pointed to her forearm, just above her wrist, "gradually get smaller. And I know that wasn't a 'oh, I walked into a door' kind of bruise." He swallowed hard. "Brooke has told me that you can't sleep at night - and when you do you wake up screaming - and Nathan has told me that you flinch all the time. Please Peyton, if you won't do it for yourself, do it for us, your friends, who are worried about you."

He reached his hand out and touched her arm; she sat and stared at it for a moment before yanking he arm away.

"Don't you dare." She hissed. "Don't you DARE!" her voice was rising at every word until 'dare' was a shout. "You don't get to come in here and patronize me! You don't get to come in here and tell me what I _have _to do."

"I never said that, I s-"

"You didn't have to say that exactly, by bringing up all that stuff: trying to make me feel guilty that you're worried. I shouldn't have to feel guilty, I shouldn't!" Jamie started crying and Peyton got up and went to the door, when her hand was on the door handle she paused, saying, "And for all you could know, I could've walked into a door. You don't know ANYTHING about me anymore, Lucas Scott!"

Lucas watched as she walked away from him, going up the stairs to check on Jamie. He watched her walls going up again,

* * *

Brooke and Julian stumbled into the house around three in the morning, so they walked into the front room, quietly, to find Lucas passed out on the couch.

"Hey, babe, shh! Broody is sleeping," Brooke whispered drunkenly. "Go up to bed, and I'll be there after I check on P. Sawyer."

"Kay." He mumbled back at her before crawling up the stairs.

Brooke slowly, but surely, made her way up Peyton's bedroom, she noticed the cot put up at the bottom of the bed, and almost thought she'd time travelled, now all she needed was for Jake Jagielski to jump around the corner.

Then she remembered that Peyton had Jamie and had probably put jenny's old cot up for him to sleep in.

"Psst. P. Sawyer, are you awake?" she whispered, sitting on the bed.

Peyton quickly wiped her wet-from-crying-over-Lucas eyes (aren't they always?) and turned around to face Brooke with a smile. "I am now. Did you have fun?"

"Oh my gosh, like sooo much. Got tutor-girl, I mean, Haley drunk. That was hilarious; she obviously hasn't drunk since she had Jamie, well before that cos she'd have been pregnant, but anyway." Her words were all slurred together and she looked like she was having trouble staying awake.

"Wow, you're a bit drunk aren't you?" Peyton asked.

"Nope, not at all, I's wide away! Tehe, that made no sense, what I meant to say is I'm miles awake from being skunk, I mean drunk. I think I might be sick."

She ran out of the room rather quickly.

* * *

_About 10:30am the same day._

Peyton crept into Brooke's room with a pan and wooden spoon. She hovered the pan directly over Brooke and Julian's sleeping heads and then... BANG, she hit the wooden spoon inside the pan making a considerate amount of noise.

"AHH! Peyton, you BITCH!" Brooke said, putting her pillow over her head.

"Urgh." Julian murmured. "Bitch."

"Huh! Fine, call me a bitch if you must, but I have painkillers and bananas B. Davis. And chocolate cereal bars."

"The perfect hangover cure!" Brooke said, "gi' me, gi' me Please!"

"Ok, they're downstairs, I must go wake Lucas in the same _adorable_ fashion I just woke you two."

Peyton crept down the stairs and stood behind the sofa, crashing the pot and spoon together.

"Morning sleepy head."

"Go away!" Lucas grumbled.

So she whacked him round the head (sort-of gently) with the pot. "Wake up!"

"Ow, Peyt!" he sat up, quickly. "What was that for?"

"Well, the noise was just to wake you up. The hitting you 'round the head was for you ruining a perfectly good night yesterday, forward slash, this morning." She told him.

"I would apologise, but I don't think I should. Because I'm not wrong."

"Whatever." She said. "Take your nephew and go home. Actually just go home I'll keep the baby." She went through to the kitchen to collect Jamie from his high chair then went back to the living room. "Nah, I think Haley will like his chatter with her hangover. Oh, and give them these, and these, and these." She said, handing him some painkillers, some bananas and some chocolate cereal bars all in a 'bag-for-life!'

Lucas picked up Jamie and the bag, he grabbed his car keys and went to the front door, he was stood with one foot in the house and one foot out before he said. "Hey Peyton?"

"Yeah?" she said.

"I know I'm right, and eventually you will too." He stepped out fully and Peyton stood behind him ready to close the door.

She watched him walk down the pathway before calling out to him "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Maybe I already know it. Maybe I'm just scared." She told him before closing the door.

Lucas stood there, staring at the door. He thought last night was a complete waste of time and that instead of making progress, they were walking backwards.

It wouldn't be the first time he was wrong, he guessed.

**Hmmm... So I'm not too sure about this chapter. Was it ok? I have this terrible habit of writing fairly late into the night and by the time I get half way through, I get tired :/ so my writing isn't very good (not that it would be art any time of the day, but still)**

**Anyway, I was **_**originally **_**going to use an idea that ****manhattanfromthesky**** gave me, but my imagination, as always, ran away with itself and I didn't really know what I was typing tbh.**

**Song was 'I'm Not Sleeping by Counting Crows'  
**

**Any who's... read & review please. I'd love to know what you guys think!**


	10. Dear Diary

**Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. SORRYYYYY! So, I've been gone for a while, and just when I was getting (kinda) good at the whole regular updating thing. BUT I HAVE EXCUSES, are you ready for them?**

**Numero uno: the computer broke **** for like a week, I only got it back about last week-ish and if I'm a reviewer on one of your stories of which I didn't review on time with, I might have explained that.**

**Numero dos: I went back to school after the summer today (yay... sarcasm) so last week I was a bit rushed and what not, so after I'd caught up on my reading I had to come off **

**Anywayyy, this was a rather long note so... onto the actual story, A/N of an A/N (If that's possible) ermm, if it has two x-x-x underlined next to it, its writing like a letter, diary etc.! Normal italics are flashbacks. Enjoy.**

Chapter 10 – Dear Diary

_x-x-x Dear Diary,_

_Brooke told me to start a diary to 'express myself' so here I am... expressing myself and what-not. _

_I really think I should get my lips glued shut, can you do that? Ha, I'm asking an inanimate object if I can do something, it won't answer back, y'know. Aand, now I'm complaining to said inanimate object. Anyway, I think I got off track a bit there... umm, so yeah, I think I should get my lips glued shut, so I can't say anymore completely idiotic things like 'maybe I know you're right, maybe I'm just scared to admit it' or whatever the hell I said to him, he is so gonna take that and run with it! Great, more nagging. I can just imagine it, 'I know you know I'm right, Peyt. C'mon you can do it' and all that jazz, like I don't think that all the time enough as it is! I don't even know why I said it, to be honest, it's like Lucas just makes me... say things, like I don't know how he does it, but his very presence makes my head a jumbled mess and my heart race. x-x-x_

Peyton was sat at the kitchen table, biting her lip in concentration and tapping her pen on the table top. She sighed, running her hands through her golden locks before continuing to write.

_x-x-x_ _anyway, the whole point of this diary is so that I can write about what happened, not complain about Lucas Eugene Scott (giggle), Brooke says I'm shutting everyone out – and maybe she's right, maybe I am – but I think I've been fine with everyone all things considered. I've only really explode one time and that was Lucas' fault (isn't it always?) and that's cos he thought he could out do me in a shouting match and a game of 'my life's more tragic than your life'. I think Brooke thinks, that I'm trying to ignore what happened, and if she does, she's 100% right, I don't want to think about it x-x-x_

The blonde gasped and stopped writing, shutting her eyes tightly. She shook her head slightly, gently muttering "No, no, no"

_Hands were grabbing at soft flesh, with such force and velocity that bruises were already forming and the hands were impossible to catch._

"_Please, just let me go." Peyton pleaded._

"_Just stop fighting it, OK? I'll win anyway, you know that"_

"P! Peyton, Peyt? Are you ok?" Brooke was shaking Peyton vigorously.

Peyton lifted her head from out of her arms and looked at Brooke, tears streaming down her face. "Br-Brooke." She collapsed into hysterical sobs.

"Peyton, what's wrong?"

"I- I le-let h-him."

"What honey? What do you mean you let him?"

"He was so strong! I couldn't s-stop it. I ga-gave up. I let him ra-rape me." she put her head back on the table sobbing.

"Oh, P." Brooke went round to Peyton and gave her a bear hug, letting her cry on her shoulder, soft tear quietly rolling down her own face.

What neither of them realised was that Lucas was standing in the doorway, and man – did he look pissed.

**I'm sorry its so short, I actually think this is the shortest I've ever done, my author's note was probably longer! But I wrote all of this by hand and when you do that, it looks like you wrote more; also your hand starts to hurt. Lol!**

**Song was 'Dear Diary by P!nk'**


	11. Out Of This World

**Wow. I officially suck! Right, so I discovered the original 3 chapters of this story (I lost the completed ones, boohoo) then couldn't bring myself to re-write them, but slowly (probably VERY slowly) and surely, here I am writing them again. What I also found super freaky was the fact that I was thinking about starting this up again just a few days before **_**masha**_**asked me if I was continuing this. Freaky deaky or what, right?**

**OK, *PRE-WARNING* I was in a considerably… darker, place when I started writing this story, I'm a lot more of a happy dappy larry these days, if anyone has read my more recent stories, so this ****story might take a turn from my original plans, K? No complaining. And yesss, I know I should be updating my Pathan fic, **_**EPTAS, **_**but I'm not ATM, so deal ;D**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONE TREE HILL, HOWEVER MUCH I DESPERATELY DID THE SCOTT BROTHERS, MMM… Also, I'm NOT American, please don't nag me about things I say wrong, or how I spell words, I don't tell you guys off, so common courtesy would be nice here **

Chapter 11 – Out Of This World

**RE-CAP…**

_Peyton lifted her head from out of her arms and looked at Brooke, tears streaming down her face. "Br-Brooke." She collapsed into hysterical sobs._

_"Peyton, what's wrong?"_

_"I- I le-let h-him."_

_"What honey? What do you mean you let him?"_

_"He was so strong! I couldn't s-stop it. I ga-gave up. I let him ra-rape me." she put her head back on the table sobbing._

_"Oh, P." Brooke went round to Peyton and gave her a bear hug, letting her cry on her shoulder, soft tear quietly rolling down her own face._

_What neither of them realised was that Lucas was standing in the doorway, and man – did he look pissed._

* * *

Lucas POV

Those words did not just leave her lips. Not my Peyton's perfect lips. She wouldn't, she couldn't. She's my Peyton. My strong, independent, feisty, Peyton. She has always been able to stand up for herself. Always had a few choice words to say to someone who got on her nerves, or did something she deemed just absolutely unacceptable. But then it sunk in, my Peyton, my precious Peyton, was a 110lb girl, who, despite the self-defence training from her marine brother, would _easily _be overpowered by a man who was big enough, and able to apply his strength in the right way, an athletic man. I shuddered as I got an image of Peyton trying to fight off someone of my brother's physique.

I was completely overwhelmed; I just stood there, saying nothing. Nothing. I was supposed to be her protector, and hearing that she was so defenceless, she actually _couldn't _fight anymore left me speechless. The girls still hadn't noticed I was here, so I turned around. I had failed her. I failed my Peyton.

* * *

Brooke pulled away from the embrace when she heard the front door close.

''Brooke? What was that?" Peyton asked, fear etching her features.

I don't know P. I'll go check now, OK?" She smiled reassuringly at her best friend, and then made her way through the short hallway, and to the front door. She opened the door, just in time to see an old mustang pulling away from the front of the house. She squinted her eyes looking closer at the driver, even though she knew exactly who it was, but when she looked closely, she could see the hurt on his face, and the way he deftly swept away his tears. "Lucas Scott crying," she said aloud to the empty space before her, "That is _never _a good sign."

She heard Peyton come up behind her, "What's never a good sign Brookie?" she asked, sniffling and trying to wipe away the tears that were cascading down her face. "Nothing, sweetie. Come on, we need a chat. And wine. Lots of wine." She added on as an afterthought with a fond smile.

Peyton laughed humourlessly, "Can we have something stronger?"

Brooke laughed with affection, "Sure thing, P. Sawyer, sure thing."

* * *

It was 8:30 PM. And the two best friends were curled up on the sofa, with a nearly empty bottle of red wine on the coffee table. They had been talking about nothing in particular for nearly three hours now, and Brooke was starting to get just the _tiniest_ bit impatient.

"You ready to talk about it now, P?" she asked her softly.

Peyton shook her head. "There's not much to talk about Brooke. He attacked me, I tried to fight him off, but I just couldn't. I'm sorry about what I said earlier, I just got emotional and caught up in the moment, and I shouldn't have said any of that to you."

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer. You can say _anything _to me, you know that!"

"Even if I tell you I made out with your boyfriend in a motel room?" she asked kinking her eyebrow and grinning at Brooke.

Brooke in return, slapped her softly on her leg, stuck her tongue out her and then said, "Seriously though, P. I'm worried about you!"

"You have no reason to be." Peyton told her, all signs of joking gone from her face, as her tone dropped to a colder tone, and she shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't want you to end up blaming yourself!" Brooke said, letting her annoyance seep into her voice a little bit now.

Peyton stood up. "BUT IT IS MY FAULT!" She shouted, the resolve and generally calmness she had managed to keep up around Brooke finally breaking. "He asked me out, it was a week after me a Lucas broke up." She let out a breath, and sat down, ready to finally explain to her best friend what had actually happened. "I was nasty, if I was just kinder to him…"

"_Hey, Peyton? Can you come in here for a minute?"_

_The skinny blonde wiped her eyes, and walked into her boss' office. _

"_Hi Mr Johnson, is everything ok?" she asked politely._

_He shifted, obviously nervous. "Well, errm, actually Peyton. I was wondering if you might want to come out with me this weekend. Just get a couple of drinks maybe… with me?" he asked quickly and quietly._

_She looked at him sharply. "Like a date?"_

_Mr Johnson rubbed the back of his neck, wiping away the sweat that was starting to form there. "Yeah?" He semi-asked._

"_I'm sorry, Mr Johnson, I don't think that's really appropriate." She replied stiffly._

_He laughed anxiously, "Well, if it's that you're worried about, it doesn't have to be a date? Just a drink between two people, colleagues can go out for drinks right?"_

"_You're not a colleague. You're my boss." She retorted._

"_Well, yeah, but I'm still a human Peyton. And I-I am al-allowed to mm-take you out for a drink." He stammered._

"_I'm underage." She said hastily._

"_You can drink soda?" He offered feebly, already knowing where this was going._

"_Look." Peyton snapped. "Mr Johnson. I just broke up with the LOVE of my life. I do not need creepy old men hitting on me everywhere I go. I am not a piece of meat for you to just take out, or fuck and then leave, alright? So no, I will not go out for a drink with you, and no I will _never _ go out for a drink with you, got it?" she told him before turning around and stalking out._

_The next morning she went straight to his office to apologise, but Mr Johnson, who was generally a forgiving and tolerable man, had snapped. Last night, when Peyton Sawyer lost her temper, his resolve, his last thread, being pulled at by two ex-wives, and a handful of children who wouldn't speak to him, was pulled just that little bit too far, leaving a clean break._

_Peyton Sawyer is an unlucky girl._

**Ooooh, feeling some sympathy for Mr J now? Not that I am condoning rape under ANY circumstances, I just thought you needed to see what led him to do what he did. So, after my, 2 year long absence? Hi. I hope you enjoyed it? Even though it's REALLY short (sorry) And if anyone read it, PLEASE review, just to let me know that people are still interested Chapter title 'Out Of This World by The Cure' My favourite sad time band :') Review, review, review, pleeeaseee **


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